GNU bug report logs - #32839
27.0.50; recenter doesn't redisplay

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Message #41 received at 32839 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Juri Linkov <juri <at> linkov.net>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 32839 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#32839: 27.0.50; recenter doesn't redisplay
Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2018 22:40:18 +0300

>> However, a minimal change that is needed here is to fix inconsistencies
>> in the recent changes: the argument name 'redisplay' is confusing -
>> it implies that it overrides the default value of recenter-redisplay
>> to force the redisplay.  A proper name would be 'interactive'.
>> There are dozens of commands already that use this naming convention.
>
> I don't think I agree.  The current name reflects what that argument
> causes, you just interpret "redisplay" to mean "redraw the frame",
> which is not an accurate interpretation, since the display engine has
> its own logic to decide what exactly needs to be redrawn at any
> particular moment.

When an argument name is a verb in the imperative mood, this means only
one thing: it should do what it claims it will do.  If it can't ensure
the result because it interprets it depending on other external conditions,
then the argument should be renamed to e.g. 'maybe-redisplay'.

> Renaming the argument as you propose would be a step backwards, since
> it describes the _purpose_ (as opposed to _effect_) of that argument,
> and that could easily change with further development, and is not
> accurate even with the current code.

Other commands that use the argument name 'interactive' have the same
assumption of describing the purpose, not effect.

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